2019 12 19: Auction of a Clementi piano in Barcelona
The exhibition begins on Monday, December 9 and the auction will take place on Thursday 19 at 4:00 p.m. It can be seen in Diputación street, 278, Barcelona
The Telenotícies Vespre on the evening of August 20 included a report by Carme Roldán explaining the search for antique pianos project of the AMCB, and the birth of the association from the restored piano of Anna Cuatrecasas. You can see the report here.
Geelvinck Fortepiano Festival (The netherlands)
The 9th edition of the world’s largest festival of original historic pianos from the 18th and 19th centuries, the Geelvinck Fortepiano Festival, took place from 8 to 22 August 2019. The Muzio Clementi Association of Barcelona was present with performances and presentations by Marina Rodríguez Brià and Joan Josep Gutiérrez.
Friday, July 19, 2019, the 19th recital “at home” was performed by Marina Rodríguez Brià on the piano table Clementi & Co. of 1824.
The program included works by Muzio Clementi and John Field, who had already studied with Clementi and traveled with him to Vienna and Russia, where he lived for more than twenty years and where he formed many pianists. It was he who called “nocturne” to pieces full of poetry, where the right hand generally makes the melody and the left accompanies with wide armonies with pedal, playing the piano already with a totally romantic style.
The sonata op. 34 no. 2 of Clementi is one of the most interesting and complex of this musician. Although it remembers us Beethoven, in 1795, he had not yet composed any symphony and was just beginning his first sonatas.
And finally, the attendees chose the work that closed the recital, from the repertoire that Marina Rodríguez will play at the Geelvinck Fortepiano Festival in Holland this August. Dussek? Cramer Marianna Auenbrugger? More Clementi? The assistants chose Marianna Auenbrugger.
The complete program was as follows:
MUZIO CLEMENTI (1752-1832), SONATA op.34 num. 2 en sol menor (1795)
JOHN FIELD (1782-1837), NOCTURNE num. 5 en si bemol mayor
MARIANNA AUENBRUGGER (1759-1782). SONATA en Mi bemol mayor, 1st movement
Friday, May 31, 2019, the 18th recital “at home” was performed by Marina Rodríguez Brià on the 1824 square piano Clementi & Co.
The program was devoted to Marianna Auenbrugger and consisted of two sonatas:
After the famous duel with Mozart in 1781, Clementi stayed a season in Vienna playing and giving classes. Among others, he probably had Marianna Auenbrugger as a disciple, young pianist and composer. Haydn was a teacher of her and admired her talents and that of her sister to whom he dedicated some sonatas. Marianna’s counterpoint teacher was Antonio Salieri. Mozart and other musicians also frequented the Auenbrugger’s house. Unfortunately, Marianna died in 1782 at age 23. Salieri published the only sonata written by the young woman, along with an Ode composed by himself in his memory. For his part, Clementi dedicated the Sonata Op.8 no. 1 to Marianna. Composed in minor key, the emotion contained in the themes and their treatment speak for themselves.
You can read an article by Joan Josep Gutiérrez Yzquierdo following this link.
You can also read a chronicle from Xavier Febrés on his blog following this link.
The Museu de la Música de Barcelona has published an interesting book on its piano table Zumpe & Buntebart. You will find more information in the Publications section of the Museum website, accessible through this link.
It is necessary to emphasize the comments of the main author, Michael Cole, that can be read in its web following this link.
A review of this book written by Joan Josep Gutiérrez can be accessed following this link.
On Saturday May 18, 2019, Marina Rodríguez Brià presented a thematic lecture-visit at La Masia d’en Cabanyes in Vilanova i la Geltrú. The activity was framed within the events of the International Day of Museums and was organized by the Manuel de Cabanyes Romanticism Interpretation Center (Garraf County Council) and the Muzio Clementi Association of Barcelona (AMCB).
The lecture, entitled 1820 London-Vilanova. A Clementi piano on a liquor boat, focused on the explanation of the Clementi & Co cabinet piano that was acquired in London in 1820 and that is preserved in the Museum. In the first part of the session, held in the lecture room, Marina Rodríguez explained some aspects that would relate the biographies of Muzio Clementi and Josep Anton de Cabanyes (who bought the piano in 1820) and gave details of the pianos of the time and, in particular, of the one that is kept in the house. He also spoke about the way in which the goods traveled and the routes that linked northern Europe with the Mediterranean. In the second part, the audience moved to the music room where Marina finished her presentation before the piano. To finish it opened a small turn of words with the public, who was very interested in the session.
The AMCB carries out a search and classification project of Clementi pianos in Catalonia to provide knowledge about the musical influence of this great composer in Catalan society. At the same time, this research includes the study of pianos of other local or foreign brands that can be found in Catalonia from the end of the 18th century to the mid-19th century. The objective is to give value to a heritage that can explain many elements related to the industry and the development of society in our country.
Our project “Giving life to the historical pianos of Catalonia” has been selected by the Fundació Catalunya Cultura within its private sponsorship program Impulsa Cultura 2019. From the AMCB we trust to be deserving of the confidence of the companies and entities committed to the Cultural and artistic training in our country. You can see the ad at the following link.
Catalunya Música interviewed Marina Rodríguez Brià on May 11 to talk about the visit and conference on May 18 at the Masia d’en Cabanyes. The conference will deal with the wardrobe piano made by Clementi and the lives of Muzio Clementi and Josep Anton de Cabanyes.
The interview appeared in the program El Taller del Lutier.